ZIKA-GLYPHOSATE UPDATE: JUNE 2016

Writing my blog concerning Psoriasis and the effects of foodstuffs which affect this Auto Immune condition, I have become acutely aware of the dangers of what we eat and how our foods are produced.

I have no doubt whatsoever that Glyphosate ‘Monsanto Roundup Ready Crop Spraying’ is the root cause of many of the illnesses witnessed by all of us who are willing to look behind the curtain and see ‘what’s going on behind what’s going on’

Yes!..I can get annoyed at peoples ‘cognitive dissonance’ but I fully understand that we all have busy lives and are trusting of the media to inform us truthfully of that which we do not have time to research ourselves.Unfortunately, this plays neatly into the hands of the ‘powers that be’ who manipulate the facts and in so doing, allow corporates such as Monsanto (Google ‘How much money do Monsanto spend in lobbying) to literally get away with murder.

It is ridiculous in the extreme, that chemicals which are banned in our own countries (good thing) are used by other countries to produce foods which are then imported and consumed by those same countries that recognise the dangers associated with those banned chemicals!

I have written copious amount of posts on the subject of Zika on this blog and can honestly say that the article I now post below is, to my mind, proof positive that the Zika Virus is indeed a cover up, a myth and a distraction.

Anyone reading it and who does not accept that both the corporate as well as political implications within the piece are factual and worthy of consideration, must be ‘wilfully blind’.

Go well.. Nick Thomas (NUFFZED)

HAT TIP:

Jeffrey Dach MD http://www.drdach.com

Zika Virus or Glyphosate Exposure Causing Microcephaly ???

The news media has been reporting the Zika virus as the cause of microcephaly. The story originated in a Monsanto chemical industry press release dated Feb 17, 2016 which was then copied over the news media. The Zika virus was discovered in Uganda in 1947, and there have been no reports of microcephaly in Uganda. A US news article says, according to Associated Press journalists who visited the Zika Forest in Uganda on Feb 1, 2016, local officials have no concern about the Zika virus.(24) Thus, the Zika virus story is not very convincing as the cause of microcephaly (small head size) for babies born to mothers exposed to agricultural chemicals in Brazil.

A Distraction From the Real Cause

The Zika virus is merely a distraction away from the real cause, agrichemical exposure from Monsanto’s Round-Up Herbicide, glyphosate, which disrupts retinoic signalling, a mechanism known to cause congenital defects and has been known to cause microcephaly, small head size in babies born to South American Agricultural workers. (1-4) Header image: Microephaly (smal head size) in newborn dated Jan. 30, 2016 in Bonito, Pernambuco state, Brazil. courtesy of AP Photo/Felipe Dana (11)

Left image: baby born with microcephaly. News media blames the Zika Virus courtesy of BBC News.

Dr Paganelli concludes: “(congenital malformations) “produced by Glyphosate Based Herbicides are mainly a consequence of the increase of endogenous retinoid activity. ” (8)

Dr Sylvia Lopez

In 2012, Dr Silvia L. Lopez reviewed the effects of agricultural chemicals, glyphosate based herbicides, in human and animal models.(9) She says: “It is very well known that acute or chronic increase of retinoic acid (RA) levels leads to teratogenic effects during human pregnancy and in experimental models. The characteristic features displayed by Retinoic Acid embryopathy in humans include brain abnormalities such as microcephaly, microphtalmia, and impairment of hindbrain development; abnormal external and middle ears (microtia or anotia), mandibular and midfacial underdevelopment, and cleft palate.” (9) Note: Retinoic Acid is Vitamin A Derivative. Left image: Agricultural Worker spraying field with glyphosate courtesy of Indiana Public Media.

Over three years from 2010 to 2013, the Washington State Department of Health reportedan unusual increase in anencephalic babies born in Yakima, Benton and Franklin counties, four times higher than the national average. (33-34)

Anencephaply, microcephaly and spina bifida are all related disorders of neural tube closure associated with maternal folate deficiency.Maternal folate supplementationis preventive. Maternal folate supplementation in Yakima was not at issue, as this was similar to the national average. Barbara Peterson makes a compelling casefor glyphosate exposure as the cause, since the Yakima river running through the affected counties had been heavily treated with glyphosate for weed control during that time period.(29) Left image Yakima River Washington State.

Glyphosate Disrupts Folate Metabolism

Glyphosate disruption of folate metabolism is discussed by Stephanie Seneff in her article on West Price.(35) Glyphosate acts as an antibiotic, killing friendly bacteria by blocking the Shikimate pathway. These friendly bacterial are also involved in bacterial conversion of folic acid to methyl folate, its active form. Maternal methylfolate deficiency is associated with neural tube defects in the developing embryo.

Glyphosate is the amino acid glycine with an added phosphate group, so glyphosate may readily displace glycine in various biochemical reactions. Glyphosate disrupts glycycine decarboxylase by displacing glycine as a substrate. In addition, glyphosate replaces glycine at insertion sites in amino acid chains during protein synthesis, producing defective enzymes (35). Glyphosate is basically the amino acid, glycine with a phosphate group added on to it.see chemical structure upperleft image courtesy of ResarchGate.

Conclusion:

The Zika Virus is a distraction from the real cause of the problem, the widely used agricultural herbicide, glyphosate. The cause of microcephaly in babies born to South American Agricultural workers is glyphosate exposure which upregulates Retinoic Acid signalling, and disrupts folate metabolism, both known causes of microcephaly and neural tube defects in animals and humans. Above Left image: Elephant in the Room is Glyphosate, courtesy of Stephanie Seneff PhD slide presentation.

Using Fear and Smear Tactics to Distract Attention from Monsanto

This article in the Huffinton Post Feb 16 is typical of the Monsanto tactics to distract attention away from Roundup glyphosate as the cause of the birth defects in agricultural workers in Brazil; A Viral Story Links The Zika Crisis To Monsanto. Don’t Believe It. by Anna Almendrala Senior Healthy Living Editor Huffington Post. Anna’s piece is pure Monsanto propaganda masquerading as journalism, don’t believe a word of it. If you trust anything Monsanto says, then I have a bridge to sell you.

Monsanto’s has known for decades that Glyphosate causes birth defects, see this report: Roundup and birth defects.Is the public being kept in the dark ? by Michael Antoniou Earth Open Source June 2011

2) Zika: The Epidemic at America’s Door
Zika may have already infected 80,000 Americans, just in Puerto Rico, and Congress has refused to act — what if Miami or New York is next? By Janet Reitman June 15, 2016 Rolling Stone

“I find it unusual that the Zika Virus, which comes from Uganda has never caused a single case of microcephaly in a child born in Central Africa. Now it may be argued that the Brazilian Zika Virus is a mutated strain, but, the Zika Virus was first discovered in 1947, in the Zika Forest, Uganda, and as such already has hundreds of different strains. Remember, the Zika Virus has been part of the Zika Forest ecosystem for possibly thousands of years, yet still, there is not a single recorded case of a hominid microcephaly and or a case involving any other mammal the virus has infected.”

An Associated Press team this week visited the Zika Forest, which has 35-meter (38-yard) -tall trees and is, now fittingly, a research site for scientists with the Uganda Virus Research Institute. until the breakout of Zika in the Western Hemisphere, not much attention was paid to the virus in the forest, according to Ugandan officials. (AP Photo/Stephen Wandera) The Associated Press By RODNEY MUHUMUZA, Associated Press

Recently, Paganelli et al. (2010) demonstrated how concentrations of
glyphosate, lower than those considered relevant environmental concentrations in Argentina wetlands, increased endogenous retinoic acid activity in amphibian embryos and had teratogenic effects. This situation
could become even more of a concern with increased teratological risk to amphibians if we consider the effects of certain non-ionic surfactants containing ethoxylates (for example, POEA- polyethoxylates
tallawamine) that are added to herbicides. These ingredients are recognized for their influences on normal development on a native tadpole (Scinax nasicus) tails, gills, and cephalic structures (Lajmanovich et al. 2003).

Since this (Shikimate) EPSPS-driven pathway does not exist in vertebrate cells, some scientists and most regulators assumed that glyphosate would pose minimal risks to mammals. However, several studies, some described below, now show that GBHs (Glyphosate Basd Herbicides) can adversely affect mammalian biology via multiple mechanisms.

Increased incidence of severe birth defects in Argentina and Paraguay in areas where GE Roundup Ready crops are widely grown may be linked to the ability of GBHs to increase retinoic acid activity during fetal development [23]4

To measure the association between the use of pesticides and congenital malformations.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 279 newborn from mothers living in rural area of Nayarit, a state in the northwest region of México. Cases (n = 93) were defined as newborn with central nervous, face, genital, hip, foot or finger congenital malformations. Controls (n = 186) were newborns without any malformation. We considered as exposure any type of contact with any of the agrochemicals used as pesticides. We evaluated other risk factors such as medical drugs, fever, exposure to radiation, obstetric and family factors, as confoundings.
RESULTS: We registered 22 genital malformations, 20 from hip, 19 from the central nervous system, 18 from extremities and 14 cleft-lip or palate. Exposed mothers had high risk of having a malformed child (OR = 3.5, CI95% 2.05-6.34, p < 0.05). Risk was higher if the mother had occupational exposure to pesticides (OR = 6.33, CI95% 2.95-13.7, p < 0.0001) and in mothers living near areas under pesticides treatment (OR = 3.47, CI95% 1.91-6.33, p < 0.0001). Among obstetric factors, abortion and early delivery (OR = 15.05, CI95% 1.82-124.30, p < 0.01) were significant.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows association between exposure to pesticides and congenital malformation. This is a public health problem in Nayarit state and in other rural areas with similar exposure to pesticides.

The growth and morphological differentiation of neurons are critical events in the establishment of proper neuronal connectivity and functioning. The developing nervous system is highly susceptible to damage caused by exposure to environmental contaminants. Glyphosate-containing herbicides are the most used agrochemicals in the world, particularly on genetically modified plants. Previous studies have demonstrated that glyphosate induces neurotoxicity in mammals. Therefore, its action mechanism on the nervous system needs to be determined. In this study, we report about impaired neuronal development caused by glyphosate exposure. Particularly, we observed that the initial axonal differentiation and growth of cultured neurons is affected by glyphosate since most treated cells remained undifferentiated after 1 day in culture. Although they polarized at 2 days in vitro, they elicited shorter and unbranched axons and they also developed less complex dendritic arbors compared to controls. To go further, we attempted to identify the cellular mechanism by which glyphosate affected neuronal morphology. Biochemical approaches revealed that glyphosate led to a decrease in Wnt5a level, a key factor for the initial neurite development and maturation, as well as inducing a down-regulation of CaMKII activity. This data suggests that the morphological defects would likely be a consequence of the decrease in both Wnt5a expression and CaMKII activity induced by glyphosate. Additionally, these changes might be reflected in a subsequent neuronal dysfunction. Therefore, our findings highlight the importance of establishing rigorous control on the use of glyphosate-based herbicides in order to protect mammals’ health.

30) Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2014 Apr 23;11(4):4449-527. full freeNon-Hodgkin lymphoma and occupational exposure to agricultural pesticide chemical groups and active ingredients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Schinasi L1, Leon ME2.
This paper describes results from a systematic review and a series of meta-analyses of nearly three decades worth of epidemiologic research on the relationship between non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and occupational exposure to agricultural pesticide active ingredients and chemical groups. Estimates of associations of NHL with 21 pesticide chemical groups and 80 active ingredients were extracted from 44 papers, all of which reported results from analyses of studies conducted in high-income countries. Random effects meta-analyses showed that phenoxy herbicides, carbamate insecticides, organophosphorus insecticides and the active ingredient lindane, an organochlorine insecticide, were positively associated with NHL. In a handful of papers, associations between pesticides and NHL subtypes were reported; B cell lymphoma was positively associated with phenoxy herbicides and the organophosphorus herbicide glyphosate. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was positively associated with phenoxy herbicide exposure. Despite compelling evidence that NHL is associated with certain chemicals, this review indicates the need for investigations of a larger variety of pesticides in more geographic areas, especially in low- and middle-income countries, which, despite producing a large portion of the world’s agriculture, were missing in the literature that were reviewed.

From January 2010 to January 2013, this area of Washington had four times as many pregnancies affected by anencephaly, an NTD, than were expected based on the most recent U.S.

35) Folic Acid and Glyphosate May 4, 2016 by Stephanie Seneff, PhD Weston Price
Neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida, anencephaly and exencephaly, are severe birth defects that result from failure of neural folds closure during embryonic development.1 While many factors may be involved in disrupting development in this way, it has been known since the 1970s that folate deficiency during the first trimester is a significant risk factor.2

Neural tube defects (NTDs), including spina bifida and anencephaly, are common birth defects of the central nervous system. The complex multigenic causation of human NTDs, together with the large number of possible candidate genes, has hampered efforts to delineate their molecular basis. Function of folate one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) has been implicated as a key determinant of susceptibility to NTDs. The glycine cleavage system (GCS) is a multi-enzyme component of mitochondrial folate metabolism, and GCS-encoding genes therefore represent candidates for involvement in NTDs. To investigate this possibility, we sequenced the coding regions of the GCS genes: AMT, GCSH and GLDC in NTD patients and controls. Two unique non-synonymous changes were identified in the AMT gene that were absent from controls. We also identified a splice acceptor site mutation and five different non-synonymous variants in GLDC, which were found to significantly impair enzymatic activity and represent putative causative mutations. In order to functionally test the requirement for GCS activity in neural tube closure, we generated mice that lack GCS activity, through mutation of AMT. Homozygous Amt−/− mice developed NTDs at high frequency. Although these NTDs were not preventable by supplemental folic acid, there was a partial rescue by methionine. Overall, our findings suggest that loss-of-function mutations in GCS genes predispose to NTDs in mice and humans. These data highlight the importance of adequate function of mitochondrial folate metabolism in neural tube closure.

Glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) acts in the glycine cleavage system to decarboxylate glycine and transfer a one-carbon unit into folate one-carbon metabolism. GLDC mutations cause a rare recessive disease non-ketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH). Mutations have also been identified in patients with neural tube defects (NTDs), but the relationship between NKH and NTDs is unclear. We show that reduced expression of Gldc in mice suppresses glycine cleavage system activity and causes two distinct disease phenotypes. Mutant embryos develop partially penetrant NTDs while surviving mice exhibit post-natal features of NKH including glycine accumulation, early lethality and hydrocephalus. In addition to elevated glycine, Gldc disruption also results in abnormal tissue folate profiles, with depletion of one-carbon carrying folates

A comprehensive review of existing data released this month by Earth Open Source, an organization that uses open-source collaboration to advance sustainable food production, suggests that industry regulators in Europe have known for years that glyphosate, originally introduced by American agricultural biotechnology giant Monsanto in 1976, causes birth defects in the embryos of laboratory animals.

42) Pesticides in paradise: Hawaii’s spike in birth defects puts focus on GM crops Local doctors are in the eye of a storm swirling for the past three years over whether corn that’s been genetically modified to resist pesticides is a source of prosperity, as companies claim, or of birth defects and illnesses

44) One Woman’s Fight Against Glyphosate October 14, 2015
2012 Goldman Prize winner Sofia Gatica is no stranger to the chemical’s human cost – just three days after her birth to a daughter, Sofia’s infant died of kidney failure, likely caused by pesticide exposure.

The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician. Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician — patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I can not control the media, I can not take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.

Copyright (c) 2016 Jeffrey Dach MD All Rights Reserved. This article may be reproduced on the internet without permission, provided there is a link to this page and proper credit is given.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of issues of significance. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.